Partonope of Blois.

[Addit. MS. 35,288, British Museum.]
HOo so luste olde stories to rede, [leaf 2]
He shalle ffynde, wyth-owten) Drede,
Meruellys and wonders mony and ffele
Off myrtħe, ioye, dyssese, and wele.
For ne had bokes ben) wryten in prose,
And eke in ryme, Of them þat be-fore vs were,
We shulde haue lytelle luste to lere
Or know of thynge that was be-fore
Wrogħte or do
n
¯
, or Gode was bore.
Ther-fore be wrytinge of olde storyes
Ys now brogħte to owre memories
The olde law and eke the newe;
And ellys mygħte we alle rewe
Vppo
n
¯
owre-selfe, whylle we ben) here.
For be wrytinge we moste lere
How we moste gouernedι be
To worshyppe Gode in trinite.
And ther-fore Stories for to rede
Wolle I conselle, wyth-owten drede,
Botħe olde and yonge þat letterydι be.
To the lewedι also, parde,
Is goode sum-tyme for to here.
For by herynge he * may lere
Thynge þat fryste he ne knewe;
And to socħe folke olde þynge ys new,
Whanne hyt ys in gestes songe,
Or els in prose tolde wytħ tonge.

Heading Partonape added by a later hand.

10. ov (?) crossed out after of. 23. he] MS. ye.

partonope.

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It is useful to read old stories.

2Seynte Paule, þat ys cheffe doctorʾ
Off holy scrypture and pryncipalle auctorʾ,
Talkynge a-monge þe clerge,
Thes be
n
¯
hys wordes playnlye,
That alle þat euer ys y-wrytte
In boke we owe welle to wytte,
That alle to vs ys goode doctryne.
For thorowgħe scrypture men) deuyne
To parte the goode fromme the Ille;
Thys preuetħ he wyth many a skylle.
For be the Sentense neuer so lewydι,
Yet þer-in moste nedes be shewydι
Good and euelle botħe in ffere.
For be Scrypture a man) may lere
To do the goode, and the eueɫɫ Eschewe;
And yeff aɫɫ scrypture were hyd in mewe,
Men) shulde haue fuɫɫ lytelle knowynge
Off goode and eueɫɫ the trew departynge. [leaf 2, back]
The fole of byrtħ can no wytte ffynde
But that he hatħ by taste of kynde.
Off alle þat vnder heuen* ys
The wyse taketħ wysdam I-wys.
Eke euery man) may at the eye See
The fly wycħe ys calludι the bee,
Hys hony he drawetħ be hys kynde
Off bytterʾ erbes, and the wyse can ffynde
In folys tales sum-tyme wysdame.
Ther-fore fulle ofte the wyse manne
Wolle here the fole and eke the wyse,
Where-thorowe he can) þe better deuyse
To drawe wysdam) owte of ffoly,
Where-fore y Sey yow sykerly :
In thys boke shalle ye fynde wrytte
Botħ goode and euelle. I do yow to wytte :
The goode taketħ, the euelle leve,
For aɫɫ goode moste welle preve.
In thys boke ye may lere,
And ye lyste hyt rede and here,

48. heuen] MS. he neuer.

64. MS. th (with t blotted) between In and thys.

St. Paul says that books teach us to discern good from evil.

The wise man derives profit from everything, even from a fool’s tales.

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3Howe God hatħ departed on) thre
Thys worlde in wycħe we aɫɫ be.
That on) quarter namedι ys
Euroupe, and the secunde I-wys
Aufryke ys cleped, as bokes trete,
And the thryde Asye the grete.
IN Asye stante þe Cyte of Troye
Fulfylledι of ryches and alle Ioye,
Wher-of kynge Pryamus was lorde and syre.
Alle Asye nygħe was hys Empere.
Thys worthy kynge gate on) hys wyffe
Fyve sonys, wycħe he in hys lyffe
Seygħe þe worthyeste on) lyve.
The names of thes worthy fyve
Arn) thes : Ector and fayre Parys,
Troylus, Elenus, Markomyrys.*
Ector was hardy and þer-to fuɫɫ lygħte,
Off aɫɫ þe worthyeste knyghte;
Grette and stronge and fayre was he,
Curtesse to þe pepulle and þer-to free.
On the grekes he made grette a-sayes,
So worthy was none after hys dayes.
The kynge of Troy in hys age [leaf 3]
Prydedι hym grettely of the lynage
Off hys worthy sonys fyve.
Hym thoȝte, whylle they were on) lyue,
Hym durste not drede aɫɫ the worlde.
He wax rygħte ferse in dede and worde;
Hys pepuɫɫ he hated, he was so felle.
They hym hated a-geyne as welle.
In care, in pouerte, and in woo
He hem helde, that they soo
Wery were of hys tyrannye,
They had euer gret espy,
Yeff any pepuɫɫ hym werrye,
Wytħ hym they thoȝte to lyfe and dye,
So fully that when þe grekes were
Come to Troye, alle here ffere

81. MS. Morkamyrys.

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God divided the world into three parts.

Priam was king of Troy.

He had five sons.

Hector was a gallant knight.

Priam was a cruel tyrant.

4They had of there souereyne lorde,
Was goo, and they be [on] a-corde
To the grekes come wyth-outen ffayle
A-geyne here kynge to holde batayle.
For he had of a knave certayne
Vn-know, and ouerʾ alle hys reygne,
Chyffe Iustyce made; and he wex aɫɫ a fende.
He toke non) hede but of hys ffrende,
They shulde haue alle maner offyce.
By the Ientylnes set he no pryce,
But euer helde hem lowe and mate.
That made the pepulle þe kynge to hate.
Hys name was clepedι Anchyses.
And hys cause hyt was, wyth-owten les,
That Troye, the cyte rycħe and ryalle,
Was for euer destroyed; for towre and walle
To ertħe was throw, and aɫɫ was brente.
Thorogħe thys traytoure þus was shente
Thys worthy Cyte, þys nobeɫɫ towne.
Wytħ grekes thus was vp so downe
Throw and destroyedι for euer-moo
Thys Cyte and pepulle also.
THys Cyte was of hye noblesse,
Fulle of worshyppe and gret ryches.
Of knygħthode eke hyt bare þe pryse
Off aɫɫ the worlde; and of delyse
Hyt had grette plente, þys ys no naye,
Tylle hyt be-felle vppo
n
¯
a day
The kyngus Sone, þe noble Parys,
Reueshydι on) Elyne, þat bare the prys
Thorougħe the worlde of hye beaute. [leaf 3, back]
Yette for aɫɫ thys, þys noble Cyte
Mygħte neuer haue be destroyedι thus,
Ne had be that kynge Pryamus
Set hym in couetyse so grettely of goode.
That made hys pepuɫɫ for wrathe so wodde
That they hym hatedι a-bofe alle thynge.
That was destruccion) of the kynge

134. Thorougħe] ug illegible.

He had made a man of low birth Chief Justice of the kingdom.

Auchises was the man’s name.

He caused the destruction of Troy.

Troy was a magnificent town, when Paris carried off Helen.

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5And of the Cyte; for Elynes hosbande
Durste neuer haue take on) honde
To sette a-pon) the worthy Cyte;
And yette a noble kynge was he.
Menelaus was thys kyngus name.
He sufferedι mekely alle thys shame.
Thogħe he were worthy, yt to playne
Durste he nogħte, alle-thowe Eleyne
Were hys wyffe; he dredι So
The Troyens; for what hym luste to do,
Thys sparedι they noghte, þys ys no lye;
They were so stronge of cheualrye.
Tylle þat a knyghte, þe wycħe hyte Nestorʾ,*
Wycħe for age was whyte and hore,
That louedι Menelaus as hys lyffe,
He grucchedι sore that hys wyffe
Was take a-way thus wyth stronge honde.
Thys Nestor eke helde hys londe
Off Menelaus, and he hys lege lorde
Was : where-fore in no wyse a-corde
He wolde but hyt a-vengedι were,
For he was a worthy man) of werre.
An.c. yeres he had and moo
Of age, and eke he was ther-to
A goode clerke; of fayre Eloquens
He had y-nogħe, for be experyens
Throwe Greke hyt was weɫɫ knowe.
Mony grette wysdomys had he Sowe*
Throwoute the londe in euery contre;
Ther-fore chyffe of conselle was he
Wytħ euery lorde and euery kynge.
Grettely to herte he toke thys thynge
That was so shamefully do
A-yens hys souereyne lorde, and tho
He be-thoȝte hym in what wyse
Hys wyttes cowde he beste deuyse
To a-venge hys lordes Shame. [leaf 4]
For þorowe þe worlde þys fowle ffame*

He called the Greeks together, and encouraged Priam’s subjects to rebel against their king.

Hector assembled the peoples of the Orient.

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7In the x yere Ector was slayne,
Where-of þe grekes were glad and fayne,
And the troyans were as sory,
For in here werres he fuɫɫ knyghtly
A-geyne the grekes hem dud defende,
For mony a grette showre he hem sende.
Tho Priamus thys Anchyses [leaf 4, back]
Chyffe to hym of conselle hym ches,*
No man) wyste of whens he was bore,
Ne of hys kyn; but of tresoure
He cowde welle geder to rycħe þe kynge.
He hym louedι a-boue alle thynge,
Off alle hys Ion de hym chef* Iustice
He made, and as he wolde deuyse
He aggreedι, and helde hym ther-to.
Thys fals traytoure demenydι hym so
He made the kynge the lordes hate.
Euer he sette grette debate
Be-twy
n
¯
the lordes and the kynge,
For mony a grette and stronge lesynge
He made vppo
n
¯
hem euer-moo.
The kynge louyd golde and seluer soo,
He fulle falsly in kowde hyt brynge.
He and couetyse destroyedι the kynge.
Thys Anehyses, thys fals traytoure,
Vppon) þe master-yate he hadι a towre
Off Troye, thys noble and worthy Cyte,
Where, on a nyghte, pryuely he
Hadde yn the grekes be hys assente,
And accordedι wyth hem þat destroyedι
and brente
Shulde Troye, thys worthy Cyte, bee,
On) thys condicione that he
Shulde robbe and pylle eche neygħbore
Off hys, for he knew aɫɫ there tresowre,
Where hyt was, and they graunttedι weɫɫ
Alle that he axedι, euery delle,
Nowe preuely enterydι thes grekes be

225. MS. chesses.

230. MS. ches (short s).

252. he crossed out before where.

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Troy withstood the Greeks for nine years. In the tenth Hector was killed.

Anchises, who had ‘ always behaved falsely, betrayed the Trojans.

8In-to Troye, thys worthy Cyte.
Fryste they robbed and after brente,
They no-thynge sparedι of mankynde.
In-to þe towre, wycħ was þe dongeon),
The kynge flede, and hys sones echeone.
There was slayne kynge Pryamus
And alle hys sonnes, saue Elenus,
Wycħe in-to a botte dydι preuely skape,
And yede where hym was Shape
Shame; and a-nother chylde toke
A man), hys name telletħ not [t]hys boke,
And brogħte hym preuely, wyth-owte les,
In-to a shyppe of Anchyses.
When Anchyses had done thys tresone,
To shyppe he wente wyth grette ffoysone
Off golde and seluer . Wytħ hym was [leaf 5]
Gone in-to the shyppe was noble Eneas.
Off hys kyn no-þyng was he,
For worthy and curtes in euery degre
Eneas was, as seytħe the booke.
Anchises aɫɫ a-nother way toke,
For he was fulfylledι of couetyse,
Prowde and envious in alle wyse.
Yette Eneas was wytħ Anchises,
In wele and woo, in prate of dyssece,
He toke wyth on sonde and see,
Tylle atte the laste aryuedι they be
In-to the londe of Romenye,*
Where-of they conquerydι the Senerye.
Whan) Markomyris, þys yonge kynge,
Wycħe was sone to Priamus þe kyng1,
Was scapedι frome Troye wyth Anchyses
Fulle yonge and tender amonge þe pres,
Thorowe helpe of o
n
¯
wycħe was hys norry,
Vn-wyste of Anchyses fulle priuely,
Whan he was xv yere of age,
He woxe semely, stronge, and had corage
To do alle thynge; and þe pepulle Sykerly

279. prate] ? emend prece.

282. MS. Normandve.

The Greeks entered the city, and spared nobody.

Priam was slain.

Elenus, however, escaped.

Marcomiris was saved on board a ship of Anchises’ by his foster-father.

Anchises and Eneas fled in another ship.

They arrive in Romeny.

Marcomiris grows up.

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9Whende he had ben) sone to hys norry.
Yette he wyste welle hyt was not so,
Butte yette hys Norry made hym so.
Yette ofte wolde he say : “That ffelowne !
I shalle sle hym that dyd þys tresone
To my fader and to my lynage.”
And euer the more he waxetħ in age,
To alle the pepuɫɫ, as they deuyse,
He lyknedι mocheɫɫ Ector and Parys
Off stature, of vysage, and off bonne.
The pepulle ther-fore ofte gonne
To hys Norry for to enquere
Yeff thys chylde hys sone were;
And euer he sayde sykerly ye.
Where-fore thys man) thoȝte þat he
Myghte notte welle a-byde there.
He thoȝte he wolde goo yelse-where.
And pryuely, when he had spase,
He putte hym alle in Goddys grace,
And pryuely be nyghte stale a-waye
And in-to Fraunce toke hys waye.
Nowe in-to Fraunce comyn) be
Botħe Markomyrys And he.
Fraunce was named tho ylke dayes [leaf 5, back]
Galles, as myne auctor seyes.
Ther-In was neyther Cyte, casteɫɫ, ne bcrowe.
A man) mygħte ryghte welle haue ryde þorowe,
In euery parte botħe of brede and lengħe,
He shulde neyther haue fownde no strengħe.
The pepuɫɫ were dysperplede here and there,
They were no-thynge a-rayed for werre.
Ther-In herbourgħede mony a wylde beste.
Alle the londe was tho ny honde fforeste.
Ther-In was neyther Erle, duke, ne kynge;
Eche man) was lorde of hys owne thynge.
Tylle hyt happened þat, at the entre*
Off the londe, Markomirys Norrye
Dyed, and þer-wytħ as ffaste

After 312 a line crossed out: Now in-to Frannse comyn) be thay.

327. oh crossed out before of.

328. MS. entrynge.

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His foster-father, thinking it was not safe to stay there, takes him to France.

France was then in a wild state.

The foster-father dies.

10He brente hys bonus in grette haste,
That [was] the vsage of that contre.
In-to seruyse tho drogħe he.
Thys yonge ma
n
¯
, thys ylke Markomirys,
He was manly, semely, and ryghte wyse;
For hys seruyse hym ryghte goode wage.
He seruyedι nonne but of lynage
Where the grettes off alle þat ylke londe.
Curteyse and lowly hys lorde hym euer fonde.
On a Day when he luste for to talke
Wytħ hys lorde, as he allone dyd walke,
He tolde of Troye alle the case,
Of the desstruccione, and eke how þat he was
The kyngus sone of Troye Pryame,
And preuely in-to a shyppe he came*
Off Anchyses, vnwyste of any wyghte.
Hys master tho wytħ hys* herte and myghte
Was glade and Ioyfuɫɫ, and made hym grette chere,
And made hym telle, þat alle men mygħte here,
The processe a-gayne, and alle the case,
And how kynge Pryame sone he was.
They herde hys tale alle goodely,
They helde hym trew, wyse, and eke redy.
And then* he tolde hem fortħe of Eneas,
Wycħe a man) of Armes that he was,
And wycħe materyes he dyd in Ytalye,
Howe he conquered by and bye.
“He dotħe thurgħe-owte what hym luste,” sayde he,
“Rydetħe and brennetħ and raunsometħe ecħe cuntre.
Thys ys the cause for they haue no strengħe
In alle the cuntre, neyther in brede ne lengħe.
He maketħ the pepulle thralle and bownde ycħeone. [If. 6]
Hyt ys fulle lyke he shalle yow yeke so donne,
Butte yeffe ye ordeyne a-gayne hym other strengħe,
He shalle yowe ouer-ryde in brede and lengħe.”
He hem conselletħ they shalle strengħes make,
And then he durste welle vnder-take,

332. contre or cuntre, apparently corrected from comtre.

345. he came] MS. come he.

347. hys] MS. hym.

354. then] MS. them.

Marcomiris speaks of his descent.

He warns the people against Eneas, and advises them to fortify their country.

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11And they wolle to-geder hem in habyte,
They shulde fynde ther-in grette [de]lyte,
And walle here Cytees and borovs rownde a-bowte,
Then myghte they slepe sykerly, and haue no dowte
Off no Enemyes, whens so euer they were.
In thys wyse he can) hem faste lere.
They lyked welle hys conselie and hys rede.
Cytees and castelles they made in grette spede,
Welle I-walledι in the beste wyse.
For hys wytte a-non) chyffe Iustyce
They hym made, and sette hym vp as a lorde.
They dyde no-thynge wyth-owte hys a-corde.
A wyffe they geffe hym, borne of hye kynrede,
And then they made hym lorde, wyth-owte drede,
Alle hys lyffe vn-tyɫɫ hys endynge-daye,
Off hem alle, thys ys wytħ-owten naye.
When he wes dede, hys sone prynse they made
Off hem alle, of whome they were fulle gladde.
He hem gouernydι in weltħe and grette honowre;
He was to hem a nobulle gouernowre.
And after hym fro eyre to eyre hyt yede.
Here names to telle I trowe hyt be no nede,
They bytħe not putte yette in Remembraunce
In thys cronycle wycħe I rede of Fraunce.
Prynces they were so of here manerʾ.
Butte the ffrensħe boke me dotħe lere
That longe after a prynce syker they hadde,
Wycħe in wele and prosperite hem ladde,
Wycħe was of the ryalle blode of Troye.
Off hym alle Fraunce hade so mucħe Ioye
That they hym loued a-boue aɫɫ erthely thynge.
He was the ffryste that euer was namedι kynge.
He made lawes and mocħe other thynge,
And made hem drawe wyth-owte lesynge
To be obeysaunte* to here kynggus lawe,
Botħe wytħ ffeyrnesse and eke wyth awe.
He made the lawes, as y gesse,
For batellus, for customys, and ffrauncheses,

391. co (or to) crossed out before cronycle.

402. MS. obeysaunce.

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Marcomiris is made the ruler of the country.

His descendants reigned after him, and later on became kings of France.

13A lorde also, yeff þat he shulde;
To euery manne, after hys state were,
He wolde redresse hyt in esy manere.
Off knygħtehode fully he bare the pryse.
Ther-to he was ryghte manly and wyse.
So wysely hys remme gouernedι he
That he lyuedι euer in prosperite.
Thys nobelle kynge, þys nobelle conquerowre,
Wanne many a Cyte wytħ many a towre,
That ffro Chyrbron) in-to Russye
Was ther neuer manne so hardye [leaf 7]
To do
n
¯
a-geynste hys commaundemente;
And yeffe he dydι, he were butte shente.
Off Arderne the towre also,
Ther contraryedι no manne þat he wolde haue do.
In thys Arderne, as seythe thys geste,
Ther ys a grette and a huge fforeste.
Hyt lyethe in lenghe botħe este and weste;
Ther-In dwellutħe mony a wylde beste;
The porsewte ys fulle large a-bowte.
Ther-fore hyt ys, wyth-owten) dowte,
Grette perelle a man) ther-In to come;
Ther-In to herborougħe ys no man) wonne.
For shyppes that passe by the See,
For no nede dar notte he
Arryue in-to the huge fforestes
For drede of the wylde bestes.
In olde bookes, as I rede,
I fynde wryten), wyth-owten) drede,
Off lyones and lebardes hyt ys ffulle.
The wylde bore and eke the bulle
Haue there here haunte destawntly.
The cause I wolle telle yowe why
That I thys fforeste thys deuyse,
For owte of thys moste mocħe thynge ryse
That longetħe vn-to my matere.
Lystenetħe nowe, and ye shalle here.
THys kynge Cleouels, þys worthy manne,
Syn) ffryste þe tyme that he be-gan)
Crowne on) hedde ffryste to bere,

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Nobody dared to oppose him, not even in the Ardennes.

In the Ardennes were all kinds of wild animals.

Clovis was fond of hunting there.

14Also for to holden) in honde a spere,
Nexte dede of armes he louedι bestes
To hunte in Arderne, thys huge fibreste,
And wyth strengħe of howndes and men)
The boore to chasse owte of hys den).
So hyt be-ffeɫɫ that on) a daye
To ffynde the boore he wolde assaye.
Hys hvntes he* warnedι ryghte a-nonne
That to thys foreste he wolde gon).
Than) hadι thys kynge a suster there
That was to hym fuɫɫ lefe and dere,
Þat nexte hys owne weddute wyffe
He louedι here as hys owne lyffe.
Lucresse thys noble lady hygħte.
A sone she had, that be goode ryghte
Erle of Angowe shulde be
And of Bloys, so telletħe me [leaf 7, back]
The olde booke* fuɫɫ weɫɫ I-wrytedι,
In ffrensħe also, and fayre endytedι.
And ye wolle wytte what he hyte,
Partonope be Gode almytħe
Namedι he was, when he was bore,
Of hys godfader atte the churcħe-dore.
And playnely to teɫɫ yow of thys manne
Thys tale trewly I be-gan).
Thys yonge man) of whome I telle,
Of Ientylnes he was the verey welle.
The nobelle kynge hym louedι so
That where þat euer he rydde or go,
Nexte hym he ys of alle men),
To hym also nygħe of kyn),
That [nexte] hys suster or hys wyffe
He loued hym beste of any lyffe.
He was so genityɫɫ of worde and dede
That thorowe aɫɫ Fraunce, where þat he yede,
Off hys worshyppe men) myghte here.
For off hys age he had no pere.

490. he] MS. we, perhaps only intended for warned.

500. booke] MS. boode.

The King had a nephew, named Partonope, who was to he Earl of Anjou and Blois and who was then eighteen years old.

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15Hys age was forsotħe, as I gesse,
xviij yere, neyther more ne lesse.
What a-venture feɫɫ nowe of þys man)
I wolle telle fortħe now as I can).
THys kynge of whome I of tolde,
He ys shape wyth baronys bolde
To [t]hys foreste for to ryde,
Wytħ knygħt and squyer hym be-syde,
And also wytħ nowmber of men),
The bore to chasse owte of hys den).
To thys foreste he ys come
Wyth hvnte and hownde as he was won).
Off thys hyt nedetħ no more to telle :
The hornes sownen) as any belle,
The howndes arne vncowpeled than).
There loketħ vp fuɫɫ: mony a man)
Here tryste on) euery syde to kepe,
Hyt ys no tyme for hem to slepe.
And nexte the kynge of any man)
Stonde Partonope, hys tryste man).
Ryghte sone after, wytħ-owten) more, [leaf 8]
Fownde ys the wylde boore.
The howntes to blowe spare notte then).
The grette lymowres ere lette renne.
A-bowte the wodde the boore ys broghte;
Alle the day they spare noghte
Hym to hvnte thorowe thyke and thynne,
Tylle the boore, fulle wery of renne,
A-yen) Euyn) the bay a-bodde.
Partonope, there as he stode,
Pullud owte hys swyrde lycħe a manne,
And ffreshely to thys bore he ranne.
Be-twyn) was then) a grette stryfe,
Butte yet the boore there loste hys lyfe.
Seynge, the kynge, there as he stode,
Then) sayde he : “Be Goddys rode,
Thys was welle don), as of a chylde,

529. chasse] hole in vellum for a.

555. go crossed out before goddys.

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He accompanied the King to the Ardennes.

Partonope kills a boar

16To sle a boore so fers and wylde.
Nowe Gode, I thanke the as I can).
He ys rygħte lyke to ben) a man).”
The kynge in talkynge as he stode,
Sawe where ther come wytħ eger mode
A-nother boore, alle ffreshe I-fownde.
To hym the howndes dyd renne fuɫɫ rownde.
The kynge comaundedι rygħte a-nonne
The huntes they shulde euery-chone
Drawe vp there howndus by and by;
The cause shalle I telle yow why;
For faste westwarde draweth þe sonne,
The howndes ben) fulle wery for ronne.
Also he sey hyt drew nere nyghte.
To hys loggyng1 he wente fulle ryghte.
The kyng1 commaundedι Partonope
.T[h]at swytħe on horsebacke shulde he be,
Prycke after faste, sette horne to mowtħe
To drawe of the howndes, yeff þat he cowtħe.
Thys Partonope no lettyng made,
But dydι ryghte as the kynge hym bade.
A-pon) hys horse a-none he lepe,
Thorougħe thyke and thynne toke he no kepe
The boore to folovve, I yowe plyghte,
And draw yefter hym, yeff that he myghte.
So faste hys hors he pryeketħ thanne
That hym folowe myghte no manne. [leaf s, back]
The boore was neuer owte of hys syghte,
The sotħe to sayne, tylle darke nyghte
So faste felle on) in that tyde,
No ferther myghte he se to ryde.
He wyste neuer where that he was,
Thys was to hym a sory case.
The kynge a-nonne loste had he.
Thynge þat ys ordeynedι nedes moste be
By ffortune vn-to euery manne.
Partonope hys horne be-gan)
In honde to take, and blewe hyt lowde.

561. MS. scarcely came.

583. fow crossed out before folowe.

Another boar is roused.

Partonope pursues the boar.

Night closes in.

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17But for no crafte that euer he cowde,
Men) ne horne cowde he non) here.
Than) gan) he waxe of heuy chere,
For he hadde don) a foly thynge
So for to drawe hym fro hys kynge.
Nowe wolle I leue thys manne so ynge,
And telle yowe fortħe of the kynge,
Þat homwarde to hys loggyng1 rydetħe.
After hym for sotħe no manne a-bydetħe.
He wenytħ Partonope were I-come.
The hunte hys howndus hatħ vp nome,
And come was to hys loggynge.
A-none hym axedι thys worthy kynge
After hys Neuowe Partonope.
He cowde not telle whether þat he
Were come home, or els be-hynde.
A-none hyt ran) the kynge in mynde
Howe he hym had bode gon)
To drawe the howndus of echone.
Then he comaundetħe wyth aɫɫ hys myghte
That men) wytħe hornes alle þat nyghte
Shulde noyse make on) euery syde,
And in the foreste alle nyghte to ryde,
Yeff any grace mygħte be
Thys chylde to fynde in any degre.
Now after hym euery man), as he ys bedyn),
Vn-to the foreste ys he ryden).
Grette noyse they make aɫɫ þat nyghte,
Tylle on) the morowe þe sone bryghte
Owte of the este gan) showe hyr so
That euery manne myghte se to goo
Or ryde where so euer hym luste. [leaf 9]
Thorougħe thyke and thynne in þat fforeste
Ryghte faste they soghte euerychone,
Butte tydynges cowde they here nonne
Off thys chylde in no degre.
Gretter sorowe myghte not be

599. MS. for, or possibly far.

614. comaundetħe] hole in vellum for u.

616. alle þat crossed out before on).

PARTONOPE.

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The King rides home.

Partonope is lost.

18Then) was a-monge the mayne tho :
“Allas ! ” they sayde, “thys chylde y[s] go
And loste for euer, thys ys no nay.”
There ys songe but welewaye.
Thys grette boore of home I tolde,
Thorowe the foreste ys bente fuɫɫ bolde,
Tylle he come to the see-syde.
There thoȝe he longe not to a-byde;
Hys lyppe vn-to the see he nomme,
And ffaste thorowe the see he swomme,
And ouer see faste hym) hyede,
Tylle he come in-to the other Syde.
Whan) he was the perelle paste,
He hyddι hym so wonder faste
To the wyldernes, I darʾ weɫɫ Saye,
And lyuedι there many a longe daye.
NOwe wolle I speke of Partonope.
Whatte to do wotte not he.
Hownde and horne hadι he loste;
Hys horse for sothe ys alle-moste
Dede for wery in that stonde,
And sodenly ys falle to grownde.
Alle drery stonte Partonope.
“Lorde alle-myghty Gode,” sayde he,
“Saue me nowe I be not lore,
As thowe were of a mayden) bore.”
“Allas,” he thogħte, “what may I do?
For colde and honger I am fulle wo.
A-ferde also nowe of my lyffe.
Helpe me lorde Gode and eke seynte Sytħe
That thes wylde and wodde bestes
Deuowre me not in thes fforestes !”
Thys yonge man) wyste not what to do,
But at the laste he drewe hym to
An) olde tre, an) holowe thynge,
Ther-in to haue hys loggyng1.
Alle nyghte ther-in he laye
Tylle on) the morowe þat hyt was daye.
Alle that nyghte fulle sore he wepte,
For sorowe and drede slepe he no slepe.

The boar disappears.

Partonope is alone in the forest.

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668

19Be-tyme a-morowe he gan) to ryse. [leaf 9, back]
He loked a-bowte, and gan) to deuyse
Wycħe cuntre homwarde he myghte beste
Drawe owte of thys wylde fforeste.
Vn-to hys horse he yede ffaste,
And by the brydelle atte the laste
Hym he dreue on) hys ffette.
In-to the sadelle a-none he lepe,.
Homwarde to drawe for sotħe he wende.
Gode hym grace ther-to sende !
But alle for noghte, hyt wyɫɫ not be,
Alle a-weywardys the wey taketħ he.
Alle þat day he rode fulle ffaste,
Mony a perlows water he paste.
The ffrenshe boke thus dotħe me telle
xx waters he passedι fulle ffelle.
He rode as faste as euer he myghte
Alle that day, tylle hyt was nyghte.
When) nyghte was come, thys ys no nay,
The mone shone as bryghte as day.
He lokedι apon) the mone so bryghte :
“Nowe, lorde,” he sayde, “that made thys lyghte
Man) to comforte and also beste,
Brynge me welle owte of thys fforeste !”
He houyde stylle, he loked a-bowte.
Than) sawe he, wytħ-owten) dowte,
Where he was in a medow stronge,
The grasse vp to hys styroppe longe
Was grow on) heygħte, as I hope,
For hyt hadι neuer be mow ne rope,
But beddet fuɫɫ of bestes wylde.
Fulle sore a-ferde tho was thys chylde.
Forthe tho rode Partonope,
Tylle atte the laste he sawe the see
Ebbe and flowe and noyse make.
Hys herte wytħ-In be-gan) to quake,
He wende fully dedι to be,
He thoȝte he myghte no ferther fle.

698. stronge] st and o indistinct; the t is apparently altered from an o.

672

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The next day he tries in vain to find his way home.

At night the arrives at the seashore.

20And fferther lokedι he in-to the stronde,
Hym thoȝte that faste by the londe
A Shyppe he sawe there rydynge,
Ryghte welle a-rayedι, tho any kynge
There shulde haue passedι the See.
And of thys shyppe ryghte glade was he;
He thoȝte he shulde haue some comforte
Off them þat ryuedι atte the porte,
And wytħ hem conseile ho we he myghte beste [leaf 10]
Scape owte of thys wylde foreste.
He heydι faste tylle he was there,
And sone he neȝhedι be shyppe fulle nere.
When) he come vn-to the stronde,
Owte of the shyppe vn-to þe londe
A brygge was leyde fulle goode and stronge,
Ryghte brodde hyt was and also longe,
And man) thyder-in myghte go ryghte weɫɫ,
And noȝte to wete hys fotte a delle.
And when he to the brygge came,
Then) thoȝte he : “My Gode and man),
In wolle I go, what so be-tyde,
No lenger here wolle I a-byde.”
Downe of hys horse he lepte a-none,
In-to the shyppe he gan) to gon),
Hys hors he lede in by hys Syde,
“And what so euer me be-tyde,
He shalle not lefe be-hynde me,
For then) I shulde hym neuer se.”
Thys ys the sotħe, he luste welle slepe,
But fryste of o thynge he toke gret kepe
That man) on) lyife Sawe he non).
Hys herte gan) colde as any stonne.
To hym-selfe thus sayde he :
“Thys ys a Shyppe of ffayre
Or thynge made be Enchauntemente.
Nowe helpe me, lorde Omnypotente,
That the deuelle no power haue
My sowle wyth hym to helle craue,

737. h crossed out before se.

740. h crossed out before non)

747. ca crossed out before craue.

There he sees a ship.

Partonope goes on board, leading his horse after him.

Nobody is to be seen on board.

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21And saue me, lorde, yeffe hyt be thy wylle,
That I neuer in thys shyppe spylle.”
And when he had sayde thes wordes,
He layde hym on) the shyppe-bordes,
Whatte for honger and for slepe,
Off hym-selfe toke he no kepe.
When he for wery was downe layde,
Vn-to slepe he feɫɫ a lyteɫɫ brayde.
No ryghte goode slepe for sotħe he toke,
But halfe wakynge, as seytħ þe boke, .
And as he lay thy[s] in slummerynge,
There befelle a wonder thynge.
Thys ryalle shyppe of wycħe I tolde,
The sayle a-non) gan) owte to folde.
Ryghte a-pon) the toppe an hye
The sayle ys pullud by and by.
A mevable wynde then) had he, [leaf 10, back]
He sawe the sayle vp in the see
A-fore the wynde in water clere.
A wonder thynge hyt ys to here
Wytħ -owte
n
¯
helpe a shyppe to sayle,
The wynde so fulle vppo
n
¯
the sayle,
And helpe of man) ther-in non) ys.
A fulle grette meruelle me thynketħ was thys.
Partonope when he a-woke,
A-bowte hym faste he gan) to loke,
Be-thoȝte hym-selfe where þat he was :
“Thys ys,” thoghte he, “a wonder case,
A Shyppe to sayle wyth-outen) gyde.
Gode helpe,” sayde he, “nowe in thys tyde.”
He sawe no-þynge but water clere;
For syghte of londe fer ne nere
Cowde he a-spye in no wyse.
Then) gan) he faste for to devyse
Where thys fforeste was be-come,
Owte of hys syghte hyt ys be-nome.
“Nowe, goode Gode,” sayde Partonope,
“Thowe fortune thus haþe shapen) me

762. non (?) crossed out before pon).

770. ys non crossed out before in.

748

752

756

760

764

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772

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784

Partonope falls asleep.

The ship sails.

When he awoke, he had lost sight of land.

22That I shalle dye in thys place,
Allmyghty Gode, do me grace !”
To hym-selfe he sayde thus :
“O mercy, lorde, swete Ihesus,
Man) wotte lyteɫɫ what ys hys beste.
For when) I was in yender fforeste,
Off my lyffe I was in dradι;
For very fere I was ny madι.
In-to þe shyppe for seker I came,
And In wytħ me my horse I name.
I howpet to haue a better yere;
And nowe for soþe better me were
In yender foreste to haue ben)
Than) in thys shyppe, as I wene.
For yette by possibilite
Euery man) know may he
A man) þat ys in dry lande
Yet sum way may he fownde
Hym-selfe to helpe owte of dyssece
In mony a wyse, wyth-owten) lese.
But in water for to be
I can) for sotħe in no degre
Devyse how any helpe to haue,
Butte Gode allone he may me saue.”
And thus he lyetħe and, sorow maketħ;
He dar not Slepe, butte alle-wey waketħe [leaf 11]
For drede of peresynge in the see.
But alle for noghte, hyt wyɫɫ not be,
Hys a-venture he moste a-byde,
For nowe ys fortune for sotħιe hys gyde.
And thus he sayletħe alle the nyghte,
Tylle on) the morowe þat hyt was lyghte,
Then) on) the shyppe gan) faste he
Deuyse and loke howe hyt myghte be
That hyt shulde sayle in any londe
Wytħe-owten) helpe of mannus honde.
But for to speke of thys shyppe,
The more þer-of þat he toke keppe,

789. On margin of MS. in the same hand: Nota.

796. Does MS. yere stand for fere ?

Partonope prays to God.

The ship sails all that night and the following day.

788

792

796

800

804

808

812

816

820

23Euerʾ to hym hyt was more mervayle :
Off clotħe and selke þen was þe sayle;
Ther-to hyt was so welle graue
That of entayle, so Gode me saue,
Ther cowde no werkeman) hyt a-mende.
The
n
¯
prayde he Gode hym grace sende
Hys lyffe to saue, yeff hys wyɫɫ be.
And fortħe alle day thys sayletħ he,
Tylle hyt was derke nyghte aɫɫ-moste,
And then) þe shyppe vn-to a coste
Helde euen hys course, as þat he
By mannes honde gydedι had be.
Wha
n
¯
to þe londe the shyppe was come,
Partonope, as he was won),
Lokedι owte to se the tyde.
Tha
n
¯
sawe he where be-syde
Ther stode a towne, wyth-owten) dowte,
Ryghte welle I-walledι rownde a-bowte.
A-myddes the towne, wytħ-in the walle,
There stode a castelle þat was ryalle,
Wytħ towres grette on) euery syde,
For any kynge ther-In to a-byde.
A grette mervayle þen sawe he,
For nyghte hyt was vppon
n
¯
þe see,
And in þe Cuntre hyt was as bryghte
As thowe hyt had be day lyghte.
The brygge a-non) he toke in honde,
And fro þe shyppe vn-to the londe
He layde hyt owte, and þat a-none,
That he myghte vn-to þe londe gon).
When he to þe londe come was,
He thonkedι Gode tho of hys grace,
That alle thes perellys he hadι welle paste, [leaf 11, back]
Butte yette fulle sore was he a-gaste,
For he sawe no-þynge that [bare] lyffe,
Man) ne chylde, wydo ne wyffe.
And he also for thryste and hongerʾ
Was ryghte febeɫɫ, hyt was no wonderʾ;
And on) hys hors honger was sene,
For lacke of mete he was ryghte lene.

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836

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844

848

852

856

860

In the evening it approaches a town.

Partonope goes ashore, but does not see any human being.

24 Bvtte when þys chylde Partonope
On) londe was come, a-non) gan) he
A-bowte hym loke on euery syde.
He sawe the cuntre botħe large and wyde.
Yette on) thys shyppe he be-gan) to holde,
He sayde be hym that Iudas solde
Thys shyppe was me[r]velus made.
In alle hys lyffe he ne hadde
Sey so cvryous a wrogħte thynge.
He then trowedι þer was no man leuynge
By crafte of honde cowde sucħe on) make,
Butte yeffe a clerke cowde vnder-take
By nygromansy to make hytte;
For hyt passetħ mannes wytte.
The towne, the casteɫɫ he be-helde,
Howe curiusly they were bylde :
Off blacke marbeɫɫ was made þe waɫɫ,
Enchekerydι weɫɫ wyħ Crystalle,
Wytħ Iasper also, þat was so bryghte.
In-to the cuntre hyt gaffe grette lyghte.
Thys grette meruayle he can be-holde;
Hys lierte be-gan) faste to colde.
He sayde : “Allas, what may þys be?”
He thoȝte he was but in fayre,
And wenetħ hyt were þe develles werke.
For weɫɫ: he wyste þe nyghte ys derke,
And nyghte hyt was vppon) þe see;
On) londe hyt was so lyghte* þat he
Myghte se to ryde alle a-bowte
In alle the cuntre, thys ys no dowte.
Also þe hauen was large and wyde,
x thowsande shyppes þer-yn myghte ryde
For any drede of þe see,
Whatte wynde or wedder euer hyt be.
When) he þe cuntre devysedι hadι,
In herte he was no-þynge gladde,
Butte fortħe wyth-alle hys hors he toke,

867. and written twice and the first crossed out.

868. loke crossed out before holde.

891. MS. adds to se after lyghte.

He thinks he has come to an enchanted country.

Partonope rides into the town.

864

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896

900

25And streyghte to towne, as seyetħ þe boke,
He rodde as faste as euer he myghte,
And to the gate he came fulle ryghte. [leaf 12]
Butte when) he to þe gate come,
Hys eye he caste vppe ther-on),
Be-helde hyt wysely alle a-bowte,
And then he sayde wyth-owte dowte :
“Thys ys of so grette an) heyghte,
Ther can) no man) devyse be sleyghte
Thys towre to wynne in no wyse.”
And harde hyt was for to deuyse
The curyous makynge þat þer-on) was.
And In he rydetħe an) esy pas.
The stretes were pauydι þat were fuɫɫ longe;
On) euery syde howsynge stronge
Off blacke marbeɫɫ fuɫɫ weɫɫ I-bake.
A-bofe þer-on, I underʾtake,
Pomelys þer stode of golde fuɫɫ fyne;
Ther-on) by crafte and goode engyne
Egelys of golde fflekerynge þer stode,
Lebardes and lyonys also fulle goode
Vppon) þe gabellys * of golde I-puredι,
And other bestes dyuerse fyguredι,
And alle, as they haden) ben) on) lyfe,
By crafte þey meuyde wonder blyfe,
Þat neuer, sethen) þat he was boren),
Had he seyne sucħe a towne be-foren).
Thys fayre towne of wycħ I tolde,
The boke of ffrenshe, þat ys fulle olde,
Hyt deuysetħ in sucħe degre
Hyt were to longe as nowe for me
Alle þat to telle, þys ys no naye.
Þer-fore I lefe hyt in goode faye,
And woɫɫ go fortħ vn-to my materʾ,
And hyt lyke yow me to here.
Thys yonge chylde Partonope,
For thryste and honger wotte not he
What to don)—Gode be hys gyde—
And fortħe fuɫɫ esely dotħe he ryde.

916. I crossed out before weɫɫ.

922. MS. garbellys.

904

908

912

916

920

924

928

932

936

Description of its splendour.

26He þoȝte of þys fay re syghte,
Hys herte sum-what be-gan) to lyghte,
And sum-tyme he thoȝte a-yen)
Alle þys ne was butte fantayne.
Then) sawe he where þe palys-yate
Stode wyde open), and in þer-atte
He rodde, and downe frome hys horse he lyghte,
For ferther ryde he ne myghte.
And when) he of hys hors lyghte, [leaf 12, back]
Hym thoghte he sawe mocħe lyghte
Off torches and off ffyre also.
In-to the halle wente he thoo,
Fayre clothes he sawe þer layde
Thorowe þe halle on) euery syde.
Off brede and wyne he sawe grette plente,
Off mete there lackedι no maner of deynte.
He sawe stonde on) þe cuppe-borde
Cuppes of golde for any lorde,
Sponys of golde and of Syluer also.
“Nowe, lorde,” sayde he, “what may I do?
For dedι I am ney for honger.”
Also he hadι mocħe wonder
To se of Ryches so grette plente,
And no man) on) lyfe butte he.
Fortħe thorowe þe halle walkedι he
The palys wyth-In forþe for to See.
When) he was n þorowe þe halle gon),
He sawe be-fore hym ryghte a-non)
A towre of marbelle ryghte fayre þer stode;
The yates of Iron) were fulle goode.
Vppon
n
¯
the towre the
n
¯
lokedι he.
“O lorde,” he sayde, “what may thys be?”
Stylle he stode, and hyt be-helde,
In what wyse hyt was bylde.
Then) was hyt a castelle stronge.
A-bowte þe walle fulle brode and longe
A dycħe þer was of water clere.
The brygge there-ouer was fulle nere
An c ffote, I trowe, of lengħe;

955. maner deynte gives a better reading.

Partonope enters a house, but observing a castle, he decides on continuing his way.

1074. n crossed out after þes; stode written above stonde, which is crossed out.

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Partonope is afraid of drinking, but at last overcomes his fear.

30And when) he had dronke þys drawghte,
To hys mete ffresshely he rawghte,
And to hym goode comforte toke,
Thys seyetħe my auctor, þe ffrenshe boke.
Sytħe he hadι dronke of þys cuppe,
He þoȝte he myghte þe Safer sowpe;
For thys was hys Opynion),
That cuppe wolle holde no poyson).
And he sowpetħe alle in ese,
And maketħ hym-selfe welle at ese.
When he had so sowpedι aɫɫ hys wylle,
And of þe cuppe dronke hys ffylle,
Than) hym luste no more to sowpe.
Vppe gope þe mete and eke þe cuppe,
The clotħe vp-drawe, þe towayle layde.
A-non) ryghte in a lytelle brayde
He wasshe hys hondes, and vppe he stode.
Than) gan) chaunge alle hys blode,
He lokedι a-bowte, he myghte þer see
Off torches and lyghte grette plente,
Butte man) on) lyfe sawe he none.
“Lorde,” sayde he, “what may I done ?
I not,” he sayde, “what me ys beste.
But he þat made botħe Este and weste,
Safe me, yeff hyt be hys wylle,
In thys myschyffe þat I ne spylle.”
And when he hadι all þys I-þoȝte,
“Be Gode,” he sayde, “þat me hatħ wroȝte,
I wolle as ny as euer I can)
Take herte to me, and be a man).
And what so euer me be-tyde,
Whyther so þat thys lyghte me gyde,
After I wolle, what euer be beste,
For sone ys tyme to go to reste.”
And so after wyth-In a lyteɫɫ whyle,
I trowe þe mowntans of a myle,
To chamber the torches toke þe waye.
Than) thoȝte the chylde : “Now, by my ffaye, [leaf 14, bk.]

1096. MS. possibly sythen.

1097. ss crossed out before Safer.

1128. thorches crossed out before torches.

The tables are cleared.

Torches show him the way to a bed-room.

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31Folowe I wolle, what so be-tyde.
Gode of heuen), be nowe my gyde !”
When he was come in-to þe chamber,
The walles were as bryghte as ambere.
A bedι þer-In ther henge fulle ffyne,
Hyt was hongedι be goode engyne.
The Couertowre was of Ermone goode.
Thys chylde be-helde, and stylle stode,
And sayde : “Lorde, what may thys be?”
And faste a-bowte he gan) to See.
He blessydι hym thryes wyth goode entente.
Þen) sayde he : “Lorde Omnipotente,
Þat haste me sauedι alle thys waye,
Be nowe my helpe, lorde, I þe praye;
For I wot neuer what to do,
Yeffe thy grace go nowe me ffro.”
He gan) fulle faste loke a-bowte,
Howe he myghte do he hadι grette dowte.
Then) In þe chymneye he sawe a ffyre,
And to þe ffyre he drewe hym nere,
Þe ryaɫɫ fyre and þe bed he gan) be-holde,
Cloþes he sawe fulle mony a ffolde
Off golde fulle ryche, hyt ys no drede.
The grette rycħe[s] ys nowe no nede
Me to deuyse, ne hyt to telle,
Hyt were fuɫɫ longe for me to dwelle.
Owte of þe chamber þe lyghte fortħ yede,
Then) gan) þys chylde haue mykeɫɫ drede,
And þoȝte: “Allas, what may I do,
Nowe þys lyghte ys gonne me fro ?”
A Shete of raynes fuɫɫ fayre I-sprade
Vppon) a forme ryghte by þe bedde
He sawe, and downe þer-on) hym sette,
And þoȝte he wolde wyth-owte lette
Make hym redy. What shulde he do ?
He þoȝte he wolde to bedde go.
Hys Spores a-none were of I-take,
No lenger þoȝte he for to wake.
Off gowne, of hosen), of gon) hys shone;
In-to þe bedde he yede a-none;

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The torches disappear.

Partonope goes to bed.

32Þe cloþes to hym fulle softe he drowe.
I trowe of fere he had I-nowe,
For þen he sawe þe chamber aɫɫ derke,
He þoȝte thys was a wonder werke. [leaf 15]
For fere he dryste not ryglite weɫɫ slepe,
He was In better poynte to wepe.
Thys lay he stylle aɫɫ in a traunse;
He was a-ferde of some myschaunse
Shulde hym be-falle or hyt was daye.
And as he was In thys a-ffraye,
And hys herte fulle nere quappynge,
In þe flore he herde comynge
A þynge fulle softely what euer hyt were,
Where-off fully he gan) to fere.
Meruayle he hadι what hyt myghte be.
“Allas þe tyme,” then) sayde he,
“That euer I was of woman) bore,
For welle I Avotte I am) butte lore.”
Vnder þe cloþys he can) hym hyde,
And drow hym to þe beddys syde,
Weny[n]g1 hyt had ben) sum euylle þynge
That he herde in þe flore comynge.
And þen) hyt was, wyth-owten drede,
A yonge mayde, ho so luste to rede
The story in frenshe, þer shalle he se
She was a laydy of grette degre,
That homely to hyr owne bedde come.
And wytħ hyr hondes vppe she nome
The cloþys alle, and In dyd crepe,
For þer she wolde, she þoȝte, slepe.
Whether she were fayre or ellys no,
Nere þe chylde she dressydι here tho.
Stylle sho lay, and no-þynge sayde,
A grette whyle after þat she was layde;
For she ne herde ne felte no-þynge
Off Partonope þat was so yenge.
Fulle stylle he lay and durste not stere,
Hys herte was so fulle of ffere,
For he ne wyste what þynge hyt was.
Me þynketħe he stode in a wonder case :

The room becomes dark.

A lady joins him in the bed.

Both lie still.

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33In bedde they be thes to yonge,
They neyther to other sayde no-þynge.
The to
n
¯
dar not for very fere,
Þe tother for shame can no chere.
A-shamed she ys for wommanhede,
Thynkenge þat she haþe in here bedde
A lusty man), and she I-wys [leaf 15, back]
Wettynge welle a mayde she ys,
Here maydenhode so yonge for to lese,
Supposyng welle she may not chese,
As she þat had in socħe plygħte
Here-selfe broghte; for alle here delyte
And aɫɫ here plesaunce was hym to haue
To here husbande, and so to saue
Here worshyppe; for fully þys was her þoȝte.
Off alle þe worlde no-þynge she Roghte,
Off kyn), ne ffrynde, ne creature,
But þynkyng1 howe sho myghte endure
Euer of hym to haue plesauns;
For she wytħ-owten) varyauns
Purposyd euer to ben) hys.
What say ye loueres, was hyt not thys
A gentylle herte of here þys was,
Off hygħe borne, and in sucħe case
Had broȝte here-selfe in blame and balawnce,
That here honowre lay in sucħe chaunse ?
But here-after she fownde hym vntrewe.
Alle here lyffe she myghte welle rewe
Vppon) hyr-selfe, and ecħe man) haue rowtħe,
That euer so fayre on) for here trowþe
Falssely shulde deseyuedι be
Off here lofe in eny degre.
Butte atte þys tyme I wolle no more
Speke of þys mater, ne trete be-fore
Off parellys after þat may be-falle.
But to þat* lady I clepe and calle
That Venus ys calledι, goddas of loue,
Þat in heuen sytteste a-boue,

1231. On margin of MS. in the same hand: notatur.

1245. MS. adds day before lady.

partonope.

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The Translator’s, or an Interpolator’s, reflections on the situation.

34Brynge þys lady to here desyre,
Þat haste so sore sette on) ffyre
In here serues þys her trowbeɫɫ herte,
Þat she here-after fele no smerte
For here trowþe, ne for here kyndenes.
Alle nyghte þus In grette dystresse
Lyetħe þys goodely lady ffre.
For alle þys worlde not not she
In what wyse she myghte beste
Be acquontede wyth here geste,
Wyth here loue þat was so dere.
Ofte þer-fore she chawngetħ chere,
And In here-selfe thynketħe thys :
“Yeffe I make hym chere, I-wysse, [leaf 16]
I am a-ferde leste he wolle wene,
And here-efter of me deme
Other-wyse þen godely were,
Thys ys alle my moste ffere,
And falle here-after in Ielosye,
And parauenture þynke þat I
Off a-nother wolle be wonne
As lyghtely, and þen were be-gonne
An endeles sorowe for euer-moo,
Then) were my Ioye for euer goo.”
Thus laye þys lady arguynge
In here-selfe and sore fferynge,
Prayinge Gode of hys grace
To be here conselle In þys case.
Thus caste she perellys, and In grette fere
Lyetħe alle nyghte, and I dar swere
On) the toder syde Partonope
Ys so a-ferde þat trewly he
Wenetħe fully for to be dedde.
He can) no concelle ne no redde,
But lyetħe as stylle as any stone.
He not to home to make hys mone,
But wenytħe hyt were Illusione

1251. fle crossed out before fele.

1264. of me seems to be crossed out before þen.

1273. sore] e (or u ?) corrected from some other letter.

The lady is afraid that the guest should think her too forward.

Partonope fears the devil is at work.

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35Off þe deuylle and of conivrysone,
Dar he not speke In no wyse.
Lette se nowe ho can beste deuyse
Þes tweyne to make a-quentydι to be.
For sotħe I dar welle seye þat she
For shamefaste dar noȝte saye,
The toder wenetħ for to dye.
Off alle þys fere make we a fyne.
Þe ffrenshe boke fulle welle In Ryme
Telletħe hyt shortely, and noȝte in prose.
Ther-fore fully I me purpose
After myn) auctorʾ to make an) ende.
Thy[s] fayre lady þat was so hende,
Streyghte forþe here legge, and happedι to ffele,
Trewly þe ffrenshe boke seyetħ þe hele
Off þys wofulle Partonope.
“Owte ! alias þen! “sayde [s]he,
And In a maner gan to crye,
For sotħe I wolle not lye,
Myne auctor seyetħe hyt was not lowde.
Hyt semedι welle for soþe she cowde [leaf 16, back]
Mykelle goode, and þer-fore she
Spake fulle softe, for þer shulde be
No grette a-ffray, ne no sterynge.
She þoȝte þys mater In to brynge
That here worshyppe sauydι were,
For þat euer was here moste ffere.
As In anger tho she sayde thys:
“Owte of my bedde, thow mester man),
Hye þe faste, and þat a-none!
Hoo may þou be ? what doste þou here ?
Hyt were better for þe þou were
An hunderdι thowsande myle henne.
For and hyt were wyste of my men),
Thowe sholde not skape, þou shuldeste be dedde.
Hey þe faste owte of my bedde.
For and I crey and make a-ffray,
Or yeffe þou ly stylle tylle hyt be daye,
Haddeste thowe an honderde mennes lyves,

1317. MS. scarcely thowsonde.

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The lady happens to touch Partonope.

She orders him angrily to leave the bed.

36Thowe shuldeste ben) alle to-hewe wyth knyves.
Hey þe faste þat þou were hennes !
Ey mayde Mary ! of what contre or whennes
Arte þou come so boldely
In-to thys contre ? I telle þe I
Am quene and lady of þys londe.
How dorste þou euer take on) honde
In-to bedde onus thy ffote to sette
Wyth-owte my leve ? Fulle euelle mette
Shalte þou be or to-morowe nonne;
For þou shalte se þan) fulle sone
Thowe shalte wyth ffeterys be harde knytte,
And depe þrowe downe In-to a pytte,
Where þou shalte neuer þy hondes see
As longe on) lyve as þowe shalte be.
Allas, allas ! betrayedι I am
Of a comelynge straunge, a stronge man).”
Thys yonge man, þys Partonope,
A-ffrayde he was, but yet was he
Comfortedι weɫɫ in oo þynge.
He wyste welle, wyth-owte lesynge
Hyt was ne deuelle ne no ffynde
For he herde her haue in mynde
Crystes moder, the mayden) Mary. [leaf 17]
And be þat worde he gan) a-spy
Hyt was a woman), what euer she were,
But of o thynge he was to lere
Whether she were wydo, mayden), or wyffe.
But glade was he þat of hys lyffe
He howpetħe fully to be in swerte,
For he wyste welle syker þat she
Was of so hye kynrede borne,
Alle-þo she hadι spoke be-fforne
Wordes of malys and cruelte,
Yette fully trustetħ and howpetħ he
That he shalle haue of hyr fulle grace.
And þer-wyth-alle he pynketħ to enbrace
Thys ffayre lady in hys armes too.
Then) he be-thoȝte hym, and I do soo,
I notte þer-of what harme myghte falle.

She is the Queen of the country.

Partonope hopes to obtain the lady’s favour.

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37And ryghte a-non) þer-wyth-alle
He gan) to Sygħe fulle pytuosly:
“Medame,” he sayde, “I axe mercy
Off yow þat arne so mercyable,
For I wolle make to yow no ffabelle,
Butte telle yow playnely my desece,
In howpe yowre wratħe to a-pese
And stoppe alle yowre malencoly.
Thys ys þe soþe, medame, þat I
Happed to chase a wylde beste
Yender in Arderne, þat huge foreste.
A bore hyt was, I wolle not ly,
After hym so faste I ganne to hy,
Tylle derke nyghte felle vppo
n
¯
me;
And þen I myghte no lenger see
Thys wylde borre fortħ to chase.
And þen I poȝte to chese a place
Where-In þat I myghte be
Herberowedι; an hy vppon) a tre
I me sette for very ffere,
For I sawe alle a-bowte me where
Wylde bestes fulle þyke layen).
I was fulle Sore a-ferde to dyen)
Alle þat nyghte, tylle hyt was daye.
And In þe mornynge for soþe I saye [leaf 17,back]
A shyppe rydynge in þe see.
Thyder þoȝte to hye me,
And [when] I to þe shyppe kame,
Off þe fayrenes grette kepe I name,
And þer I howpedι refresshydι to be.
Theder-In þerfore I hyedι me
Wyth myne hakeney in my honde.
And þus, medame, in-to thys londe
I am come and in-to þys cyte,
Where-of ye clayme lady to be,
And in-to bedde wyth-owten) leve.
Ther-fore I pray yowe noȝte to greue.
For alle þys day in þe towne
I haue go botħ vppe and downe.

39That shulle a-bate alle thy pryde.”
“MAdame,” sayde Partonope,
“Gode for-bede þat euer shulde be
In me founde suche a-vyse,
Ye myghte welle saye I were to nyse,
Yowe to showen) dysdayne or pryde.
For I woɫɫ neuer be but glade to a-byde
And stonde to yowre ordynaunce,
And what euer so be my happe or chawnce,
Þoȝe yowre knyghtes shulde me slene,
I wolle no ferther, I may not flene.
I say for me I wolle not ryse.
I can) not þynke In what wyse
I myghte owte of þys chamber passe.
I putte me holy in yowre grace.”
“Syr,” she sayde, “ryse vppe a-none,
And I my-selfe woɫɫ wyth þe gone,
And to þe dore I wolle þe lede.
Thy[s] ys my conselle and my rede.
Yeffe of my conselle ye geffe no forse,
To-morowe ye shulle wyth wylde horse
Be alle to-drawe as sone as daye,
Thys ys fulle sotħe, wyth-owten) nay.”
“MEdame,” he sayde,“truly,
I may not go, I am so wery,
Ther-fore yowre mercy euer I crye.
And yeff so be þat I shalle dye,
And wyth my detħe I may yowe plese,
Thys ys to me a ryghte grette ese.
For yeff ye woɫɫ I drawe be
Wyth hors and hongedι on) a tre,
Rather þen) we de-parte a-twy
n
¯
, [leaf 18, back]
I geffe yowe lefe wytħ-owte sy
n
¯
Thys to sle me, so Gode me saue,
Recke I not yowre mercy to haue.”
Thys yonge man), thys Partonope,
What more to sey wotte not he
But suffer hys payne pacyently,
In truste, in howpe to haue her mercy.

1419. to yowre crossed out before stonde.

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Partonope insists on staying.

The lady orders him once more to rise.

Partonope refuses

40He sykedι softely, he lyetħe fulle stylle,
As he þat dar not say owte hys wylle.
When thys lady þys sykynge herde,
Here herte wyth-in her body fferde
Lyke as þe leffe dotħe on) a tre,
When hyt ys blowe, as þou may see,
Wyth hydowesse wynde and tempaste grette.
Here body was colde, yette dydι she swete;
Hyt semedι as þowe hyt hadι be
Travelydι wyth þat in-ffyrmyte
That ffefer ys clepedι, or else þe agwe.
She gan) her repente and also rewe
Off thys desese þat sho had do
To þe chylde; sho þoȝte also
He was but yonge and tender of age,
Borne and brogħte forþe of heye parage.
“Allas,” she þoȝte, “þe ylke nyghte and whyle
Þat euer I shulde hym so fowle revyle,
As þowe he were of no degre.”
In here herte she gan) to haue pyte.
Faste vppon) hym þe mastery take,
Sho þoȝte fully a-mendes to make.
And wyth þat she be-gan) to wepe;
The ters ranne downe by here cheke.
Sho sobbed, she sykedι petuesly,
Sho porposedι her to aske mercy
Off hym þat fayne wolde mercy haue.
Nowe me þynketħ, so Gode me saue,
Sho owte of very homanhede
Off hys desese to take grette hede.
And so sho dydι, þys ys no naye;
For also syker as any daye,
Ther ys in ertħe no-þynge * so kynde
As be þys wymmen), ther as þey fynde
Here serwandes trewe and stydfaste. [leaf 19]
Ther-fore þys lady at the laste
þoȝte fulle on) hym to haue pyte.

43As sore as euer ye wolle me charge.
Þoȝe I were ryghte nowe at large,
As I am yowre presonere,
I wolle be botħe ferre and nere
at youre
Off mony a semely manne they me tolde, [leaf 20]
Off knyghtes þat were in batayle fuɫɫ bolde,
Off mony on) fulle of gentylnes.
Butte for to speke of more or lesse,
They that in Fraunce haue be,
Toke grette hede in euery degre
Wycħe beste shulde be for my prowe.
Than) had they moste Ioye of yowe.
Þey tolde me they had fownde
A man), to secħe þe worlde so rownde,
Sucħe a-nother myghte nonne be
Fownde ther-In in alle degre.
Semely he was and also yonge,
And cosyn) he was vn-to þe kynge,
Broghte forþe and borne of hey degre.
Hys name [they sayde] ys Partonope.
Off yowe they tolde so grette goodenesse,
Off hey bewte so grette noblesse,
Of curtesy so grette abondans,
Þat þorowe alle þe remme of Fraunce
Off gentylnes ye bere þe pryse,
As off yowre age also ryghte wyse.

1598. Catch-word At youre. The vellum ends here, the rest of the MS. is written on paper. One leaf, scarcely more, is lost in the middle. The Lady here makes herself known as Queen of Byzantium. As the Lords of the Empire wished her to marry, she had sent envoys round all the world.

1606. hod ? crossed out before had.

1620. As] MS. a kind of inverted short s, somewhat like a d. It may have been meant for as or and.

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The envoys sent to France had seen Partonope, and praised him so much, that she at once fell in love with him, and determined to go to France.

56Hys lokynge seruyde hym not, for sho ys frome hym goo,
That feletħe thys wofulle Partonope.
“Allas,” he sayde, “what may thys be ?
My Ioye ys gonne, whyder I ne wotte,
And what to do for soþe I notte.”
And soþe to sey and not to lye,
Vppon) þe hedde he caste hys eye,
And seye þe chamber so rycħe a-rayedι
Þat off þe bewte he was Dysmayedι.
He mervelytħe grettely of þe bryghtnes.
And þer-wyth he be-gynnetħe hym-selfe to dresse
Owte of hys bedde, þys ys no dowte.
And as he lokedι thys a-bowte,
Vppon) þe bedde he seye where laye
A gowne alle newe, þys ys no naye.
He þoȝte þat þys [noble] garmente
Was layde there to þat entente
Þat he shulde hyt on) hym do,
And, shorte tale to make, he dydι so.
And when he hadde hyt on) hys backe,
In the gowne fownde he no lacke.
For to hym hyt was as welle I-shape
As thowe þe mesure hadι ben) I-take
For hym verely off Porpose.
And þer-wyth-alle a-non) he rosse.
Hosen) and shone a-none he fonde ther
A-rayde for hym in þe beste manere.
Whan) he was redy and a-rayedι,
Off hys newe cloþes he was welle payde. [leaf 24, back]

1958. Two letters crossed out after to.

New clothes lie ready for him.

He dresses, and goes to breakfast in the hall.

1941

1944

1948

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

Univ. Coll. MS.

Hit servyd of nougħt, for than) She was goo. 1940

Vppon) the bedde he sawe where lay

A Gown) alle new, this ys no nay,

Than sayde this woofuɫɫ Partanope :

He thougħt that this noble garment

“Allas, what may this be?

Was layde there to that intent 1956

My Ioye ys goo, whider I ne note.

That he shulde hit vpon) hym) doo,

And I shaɫɫ do I note wele wote.” 1944

And, short tale to make, he dyd soo.

He saw the chamber so ryche a-rayed

And whan) he had hit do vpon) his bakke,

1That of the beaute he was dysmayed.

He mervayled gretely of the brygħt-nesse. [1 leaf 5] 1949

In that gowne fonde he no lakke. 1960

Hosyn) and shone than) fonde he there

And there-wiħall he gan) hym) dresse

Arayed for hym) in the best manere.

Oute of his bedde, this ys no doute.

Whan) he was redy and fuɫɫ araiedι,

And as he loked thus now a-boute, 1952

Of his new clothes he was weɫɫ payedι.

57Owte of the chamber he þoȝte to goo.
Then) Soudenly was broghte hym too
A newer of water and a bassyne,
Botħe hyt were of golde fulle ffyne,
A towelle þer-wyth of Parys werke.
Thys seruyse was to hym fuɫɫ derke,
For man) ne chylde cowde he non) See.
He wysshe hys hondes, and owte yede he
Off: þys chamber, þat was so gaye,
In-to þe halle, and þer he Saye
The bordes couerydι wyth cloþes fyne.
Hyt was made redy for he shulde dyne.
Than) þys yonge Partonope þoȝte :
“Alle thys a-raye ys for me broghte.”
A-myddes þe bencħe downe he hym sette,
Þer was no wyghte hym for to lette.
Off mete and drynke hadι he plente,
Þus seyetħe þe boke, þer lackedι no deynte.
Off on) þynge he was heuy and sadde :
þer sayde to hym no man)‘ be gladde,’
Ne bade hym ne mery be and blytħe.
He sawe no-þynge þat euer bare lyve.
When he had dynedι, he þoȝte tho :
“Alle þys day whatte may I do ?”
And streyghte he rose vp fro þe deyse;
And þorowe þe halle and downe by þe gryse
In-to þe cowrte streyghte yede he.

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

He goes down into the palace yavd, where a black horse is brought to him.

Univ. Coll. MS.

Oute of the chamber he thougħt to goo.

Amyddes the benche he down) hym) sett,

Than) sodenly was brougħt hym) tho

There was [no] wigħt hym) to lett. 1984

An) ewer wytħ watyr and a basyn),

Of mete and drynke had he plente,

Botħe they were of golde fuɫɫ fyne, 1972

Thus saytħ the Booke, he lakked no deynte. [1 leaf 5, back]

A toweɫɫ therwytħ of Parys werke.

This servyce was to hym) fuɫɫ derke,

Of oo thyng was he hevy and sadde :

For man) ne childe cowde he none see.

There sayde to hym) no man) be gladde,

He wasshitħ his handes, and oute yede he 1976

Ne bad hym) ete merily ne blyve. 1989

He saw no-thing that euer bare lyffe.

Oute of this chamber, that was so gay,

1 Whan) he had dyned, he thougħt tho:

In-to the halle, and there he say

“Alle this day what may I doo ?”

The Bordes couered with clothis fyne.

And streygħt vp he rose fro the dees.

Hit was made redy for he shulde dyne.

Thorow the halle and down) by the grees

Than) thougħt this yonge Partanope :

“Allethis aray ys made for me.” 1982

In-to the court streygħt yede he. 1995

58He lokedι a-bowte, he cowde not se
Off hys wery and lene hakeney
That he þer lafte yesterdaye.
He lokedι a-bowte, and faste be-helde
Þys castelle ryalle, howe hyt was bylde.
And as he ceste hys eye a-bowte,
He sawe where stode, wyth-owten) dowte,
A Corser þat was botħe fayre and able
For any kynge, þat streyghte owte of þe stabelle
Was broghte for he shulde on) hym ryde.
He was a-ferde hym for to be-stryde,
Or for to lepe vppo
n
¯
hys backe,
Be-cause þat he was so blacke.
Some euelle thynge he wende hyt had be, [leaf 25]
And stylle stante thys Partonope,
And off þys courser toke grette kepe,
And atte þe laste vppon) hym lepe.
Nowe ys yonge Partonope
Vppo
n
¯
hors-backe, and streyghte rydetħe he
Thorowte þe cowrte ryghte to þe gate.
When he was þer, he þoȝte alle-gate
That fayre towre he wolde See.
Fro horsebacke lyghtely lepytħe he.
Vppe þorowe þe towre he goþe wyth-alle.
He lafte not tylle he was o
n
¯
þe walle,
There as he myghte se rownde a-bowte,
The castelle wytħ-In, þe cyte wyth-owte.
Towarde þe sonne þan loketħe he.

He blows his horn, and hounds of various kinds come running towards him.

2216

2220

2224

2228

2232

2236

Univ. Coll. MS.

In-to the Skye that Ioye ys to see. 2213

And whan) he had dyned, he toke the horne 2227

Of alle these dysportys now chese ye.”

“Madame,” he sayde “me lyketħ best

That on) the walle heng hym) be-forne,

To-morow to hunt in the forest.”—

Lepetħ vpon) hors, and fortħ he rydetħ

“Now Syr “she sayde “do as yow lest.” 2217

Tylle he was past the medowes sydes.

He blew his horn), this ys no doute,

And so therwitħ She hym) kyst,

Hyt was wele herd two myle a-boute.

And sone after they feɫɫ on) sleepe,

Mutes of houndes of alle degree 2233

Of other Ioye toke they no kepe. 2220

Came towardι hym), as he mygħt see,

And Thus in play and sleepe thay lay

Coupled with Sylk and not wytħ heere.

Tylle on) the morow that hit was day,

Lemours a-boute her nekkes bere

Than) his lady was fortħ past. [l leaf 8]

Her lees were as softe as sylk,

He Oowde no Better but rose at last.

And therto whyte as ony Mylk. 2238

2235. u in coupled has one stroke too many; similarly 2243. in Vncoupletħ.

67Into the foreste he rydythe apase;
Anone fownde alle ffreschely the trace,
Off a passyng1 wylde bore.
Thys Partonope, wytħ-owte more,
Vnkowpelyd hys howndes, and taketh in lesse
These fayre lemers, and thay not sesee
Alle the howndes to seke the foreste,
Tylle fownde ys the wylde beste.
Now ys the wylde bore fownde.
The howndes to hym) now Rennytħ fulle rownde,
The grete as welle as do the * leste.
The crye to here yt were a feste
For an emperowrʾ an for a lorde.
So hole they Renne by one acorde
To thys bore, thus ys no naye,
So ffresche thay Renne alle the daye,
Tylle he ganne wery, thus ys no dowte,
They broghte [hym] so faste abowte.
Atte the laste thus wylde beste [leaf 28]
For-sakethe clene the thycke foreste.
Vnto the lande drawyth he,
There as stode Partonope
Wythe the lemers ynne hys lesse.
He lette hem slyppe, and faste they presse
To-ward the beste; and þat seytħ he.
Wythe alle hys myȝthe he gynnytħ flee.
Hys flyȝthte may hym serue of nowȝthte;

2983. MS. onne with nne underdotted; the dots may have been put inadvertently, a letter (o ?) before off having been blotted and marked for erasure.

Five thousand French keep the bars, so that the Saracens cannot get out of the castle.

At night the fight ceases.

2964

2968

2972

2976

2980

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

Herde this noyse and this crying 2964

1H . . de þis noyse and þis cryinge

Of his meyne, he armed hem) fast,

. f his meyne, he armede hym faste,

And to the yate he hyed in hast.

And to þe yate he hyede in haste.

And whan) he to the Barres come,

When) he to þe barres come, [1 leaf 8]

His steede feersly there he nome. 2968

His stede freshly þer he nome. 2968

He wende to haue and Issue free,

He wende to haue hade issue fre,

But of his purpose lette was he.

But of his porpose let was he.

The kyng of Fraunee at that reys,

The kynge of Fraunce at þat reyse,

1 And Partanope, The Erle of Bloys,

And Partonope, þe erle of Bloysse, 2972

And therwitħaɫɫ the kyngis Ooste.

And þer-with-aɫɫ þe kynges oste.

Partanope had there at his coste [1 if. 16]

Partonope hade þer at his coste

Fyve thowsand men) armedι wele 2975

Fyve þousonde armede weɫɫ

In armoure brygħt made of Steele,

In armore bright made of steɫɫ, 2976

That shette the barres a-none rygħt,

That shet þe barres anone rigħt

That the hethen) had no mygħt 2978

That þe hethyn hade no mygħt

Oute of the Casteɫɫ further to goo.

Out of þe casteɫɫ forþer to goo.

There yede strokes many tho. [fygħt

There yede strokes manye þo. 2980

The frencħ witħ the hethen) there dyd

The frencħe with þe hethyn dede figħt

Tylle vpon) hem) fylle derke nygħt,

Tiɫɫ vppon) fiɫɫ dyrke nyght,

That none of hem) mygħt other see.

That none of hem myght oþer se. 2984

Between 2970 and 2971 MS. adds: The kynge of Fraunce let was he.

95The kynge comawndyd hys men) lette be
Off thus skermysche and thus stryve,
And takethe the way to Pvntyffe.
The hethen) taketħe Surnegowre,
Here kynge, and streyȝthte in-to the towre—
For ytte was nyȝthte—thay hym ladde.
They conseld hym), and they hym) redde
To kepe thatt casteɫ yn) saue garde,
Tylle he hadde alle hys reerwarde.
To Pvntyffe ys now reden) the kynge;
And Partonope, bothe luste and ȝonge,
In thus Iornay hathe geten) hym) a name,
Thatt alle men) be-gynne to proclame
Hys grete name and worthynys.
Ther-to there spake bothe more and lasse,
And seyden), sethen) the worle be-ganne,
Was ther neuer bore a sucche a mane
Off manhode, of worthynys, of fredome and of lowlynys.
For so hym) preysythe bothe more and lesse;
For he helde sucche opyn) husholde
Thatt wellcome was ho euer come wolde.
And grete gyftys gaue he, and thatt was ofte,

97To piece hom alle he dothe hys myȝthte,
Hys worchyppe to saue, and eke the * Ryȝthte
Off Fraunce and of hys lege lorde.
Fro maney partyes of the worlde
Moche pepele to hym ys comande,
Now a .c, now ij c., now a thosande.
To Fraunce was he a stronge poste;
[Day by day encresitħ the Ooste.
Or than) a monetħ was alle past]
Chyualrye to hym can dr[a]we faste,
Thatt there were numberyd in the fylde
An) .c. Mɫi wythe spere and schylde.
The re[re]ward of kynge Surnegour
Ys now y-come, where-ynne the flowre *
Ys herborewed of thus Chyualrye.
Where-fore anone he made do crye
Thatt they schulde alle y-armed bee
The nexte day, thatt he myȝthte y-see

3031. MS. hom or ham.

3032. the] MS. hys.

3044. flowre] MS. towre.

3032

3036

3040

3044

3048

His army increases by thousands.

Within a month he has a hundred thousand men.

The rearguard of king Sornegour having arrived, the heathen army numbers more than two hundred thousand men.

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

To please hem) alle he dothe his mygħt

To plese hem aɫɫ he dothe hys mygħt,

Hys worshi
p
¯
to save and the rygħt

His worchipe to saue and þe rigħιt 3032

Of Fraunce and of his lyege lorde.

Of Fraunce and his lege lorde.

Fro many partyes of the worlde 3034

From many partes of þe worde

Moche people come to hym) warde,

Moche pepiɫɫ come to hymwarde,

Bothe by thousandes and hundredι.

Bothe be þousonde and by honderde.

To Fraunee was he a stronge poste;

Of France was he a stronge poste; 3037

Day by day encresitħ the Ooste.

Day be day encreseth his oste.

Or than) a monetħ was alle past

Ore þen a month was aɫɫ paste

Chevalry to hym) drow wel fast, 3040

Chevalry to hem drewe faste, 3040

That there were nomberd in the feelde

That þer were nomberde In þe felde

An) hundred thousand witħ Spere and Sheelde.

An honderde with spere and shelde.

The rerewardι of kyng Sornogoure

¶ The rerewarde of kynge Sornogoure

Ys now comyn), wherin) the floure 3044

Ys nowe come, where-in þe floure 3044

Is herbowred of his cheualrye.

Ys herberwyde of chevallrye.

Wherefore a-none he made do crye

Where-fore anone he made do crye

That they shulde alle armed be

That þey shulde aɫɫ armede be

The next day, that he mygħt see 3048

The nexte day þat he myght se 3048

3036. b (?) erased before poste.

3042. miɫɫ written above honderde (by another hand ?).

3044. whe erased before where.

PARTONOPE.

H

98Whatt pepele he hadde onne the fylde.
The herodes ther nummberyd wytħ spere and schylde
ij hunderyd Mɫi* wytħ-owten) alblasterys,
Wythe-owte gyldenys and archerys,*
Were-of the numbere they cownde notte telle. [leaf 38, back]
Sornegour the kynge, thatt was so felle,
Whenne alle these pepele he dyd see,
The kynge of Fraunce thenne manasyd* he,
And sayde prowdely he wolde noȝthe fayle
To holde the fylde and gene hyin batayle.
Partonope herytħ alle thus;
And to hym comyng1 sodenly ys
Moehe pepele of Loreyne and of Freslonde,
Wythe-owte letter of hym or [any] sonde,
The poytowys, the aunguys,* the Gascon),
The frenche, the almayne, the Breton).
Moche pepele come of Pavy,
And alle-so owte of Lumbardy.

3051 MS. ii Mɫ1 hunderyd, 11. 3051–52 are in inverse order in MS.

3056. manasyd] MS. namyd.

3063. MS. paytowys? MS. amguys.

From various countries men gather round Partonope.

3052

3056

3060

3064

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

What people he had in the feelde,

What pepiɫɫ he hade In þe felde,

Whiche were nombred of Spere and Sheelde

Wheche were nomberde of spere and Sheelde

An hundred thousand withouten arblasters,

An . c. þousonde with-out arblastes,

Witħoute gyldenes and archers, 3052

With-out gildenes and archeres, 3052

Where-of the nombre they cowde not teɫɫ.

Where-of þe nombir þey couthe not teɫɫ.

Sornogoure the kyng, that was rygħt feɫɫ,

Sornogoure þe kynge, þat was feɫɫ,

Whan) alle these peple he dyd see,

When) aɫɫ þis pepiɫɫ he dyde se,

The kyng of Fraunce then) manased he,

The kynge of France manassede he,

And sayde proudely: “I wole not fayle

And seyde proudly : “I wiɫɫ not faiɫɫ

To holde the [feelde] and gyff hym) batayle.” 3058

1To holde þe felde and gyf bataiɫɫ.” 3058 [1 leaf 9]

Partanope by spyes herytħ alle this;

P[ar]tonope be spyes hereth aɫɫ þis;

And to hym) sodenly comen) ys

And to hem sodenly come is

Moche people of Loreyege andι Fryse londe

Moche pepiɫɫ of Loryn and of Frys-londe

Withoute letter or any sonde, 3062

With-out letter ore ony sonde, 3062

The Pyetes, the aungyus, the Gascouns,

The perres, þe aungoyoyes, þe gas-covnes,

The frencħ, the almayns, the Bretouns.

The frenche, þe almaynes, þe bruttons.

Moche people there come of Pavy, 3065

Moche pepiɫɫ þer come of Pavy,

And also in Lombardy. [leaf 17]

And also out of Lombardy. 3066

99Be-twene these kynges wytħ-owten) fayle
Ys sette a day of Batayle,
Wyche ordinaunce, wytħ-owten) naye,
Shulde be holde apon) a twysdaye,
Wyche yn olde tyme, I wolde noȝtħ lye,
The day of Batayle dothe synefye.
The kynge of Fraunce comaw[n]dytħe by wrytte
Erche-byscoppes and Byschopys, and heyly hem bytte *
To abbotys and priorys and eke to frerys
To come a prosescon) and make here prayerys
For hym and alle hys cheualrye.
To do hys comawndement faste they hye.
Atte Chars schalle the Batayle be,
Where the hardy schalle make the coward flee.
Ytte was onne a twysday,
Whenne the sonne ys * bemus fulle gaye
Schowed, wyche browȝthte forthe meny a flowrʾ,
Kynge Agysowrʾ* and kynge Surnegowre,
Vnder the schadowe of a nappell tree,
Here cownseɫɫ helde yn) alle degrees
Off here lordes and of here knygħthode,*

King Loemer of Norway points out that the French army is growing rapidly; the king of France has offered rich gifts on the condition that the Saracens leave the country; they ought to accept that offer.

3088

3092

3096

3100

3104

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

And hundred knygħtes, that of manhode

An honderde knyghtes þat of manhode

Were higħly acounted, they had there,

Were highly accountyde þey hade þer,

That cowde dele weɫɫ with Shelde and Spere. 3090

That couthe weɫɫ dele with shelde and spere. 3090

Kyng Sornogoure hem fast by-helde :

Kynge Sornogoure hem faste be-helde :

“Lordinges,” he sayde, “to-morow the feelde 3094

“Lordynges,” he seyde, “to-morwe þe felde

We must holde and gyffe batayle

We moste holde and gyfe bataiɫɫ

To the ffrench, this may not fayle.

To þe frenche, þis may not faiɫɫ 3096

Ye be alle / bothe ware and wyse. 3097

Ye be aɫɫ bothe ware and wyse.

Lat Eche man) say now his advyse

Let iche man) sey his avyse

To sette oure batayle in ordynaunce,

To set oure bataiɫɫ In ordenaunce,

And se who shaɫɫ haue the gouernaunce

And se who shaɫɫ haue þe gouernaunce

Of oure wynges and of oure Archery.”

Of oure wynges and oure archerye. 3101

First spake kyng Loemers wordes hye.

1 Firste spake kynge Loemers wordes hye. [l leaf 9, back]

Of Norwey he was lord and kyng;

Of Norwey he was lorde and kynge;

The norweys are at his ledyng. 3104

The Norweyes are at his bydynge.

“Sir,” he sayde, “hit may not fayle

“Sir,” he seyde, “it may not faiɫɫ

To-morow we shhaɫɫ haue batayle

To-morwe we shaɫɫ haue bataiɫɫ 3106

3088. Above honderde is added mħ
in another hand.

3094. in added above þe.

3104. bydyd crossed out before bydynge.

101And wythe God-ys grace the victorye
Of here cheualrye, butte the frenche trewly
Encrese faste, and alle-so y seye
Moche pepuɫɫ to hym) gynnythe to obeye.
The frenche erne yn) here own) Cuntre,
And wythe hym ys one Partonope,
Thatt to seke the worl[d]e fur and nere
A worthyer may ther non) be preuyed yn) werre,
And of the frenche, y dar vndertake,
Beste; and alle-so he dothe make
Alle thus pepele agaynys vus to come.
They be nowe more streyngger thenne they were wone
They haue more folke then have* we,
And knowytħ the Cuntre beter in eche degre.
The kynge hathe made vsse grete proferys
ij .c. to fylle of owre Cowferys
Wythe golde and syluer and grete Ryches,
Off mules of Spayne a Mɫi no lesse,
A Mɫi horse and XXti lyones,
A Mɫi gosse-hau-kys and a thowsand ffawconys.

104Thanne we that come so ferre;
And euery day they wex more stronge.
They haue the rygħt and we the wronge.
To eschew fighting / or swiche dystresse
I consayle we take of her Rychesse,
And leve hem) her contre / and nomore werre,
Sitħ we not mowe hem) conquerre.”
Now hatħ this kyng sayde his a-vyce.
Hym) answerid a kyng holden) rygħt wyse—
He higħt Fursyn,* kyng of Syre londe.
Many a vyage hathe he take on) honde—
Seyng : “Kyng Marukyns hatħ” wele sayde,
Saue of oo thyng I holde not me a-payde.
For thogħt myn) heers be woxen) white,
I wole truly yet me acquyte
In this matere; for ye saide oo thing
That wysely hatħ Loemers thy kyng.
Of that wysedom) canne I no skylle.
Yonge men) a-dayes now echone wylle
Take vpon) hem) to be hye Counsellers, [leaf 18, back]
And say that men) witħ white herys
Dote and wote neuer what they mene.
But in the ende hit wole be seene.
And so to yonge men) the olde are loothe.
I wote nevyr how this Counsayle gothe.
But whan) the kyng was at home in his contre,

3179. MS. Sursyn.

3187. MS. wysedonn).

3195. contre] r written on an erased y.

King Fursin of Syria protests against such opinions; when the King was at home, they were all for war.

3172

3176

3180

3184

3188

3192

Rawl. MS.

Then) we þat come so ferre; 3170

Safe of o thynge I holde me payde.

And euery day þey wex more stronge.

For þougħ myne heyeres be wex whyte,

They haue þe right and we þe wronge.

I wiɫɫ truly yet me aquyte [leaf 10, back]

To esschewe fightynge ore soych dysstres

In þis maner; for ye seyde o thynge

That wysly hathe Loemeres þe kynge.

I counseɫɫ we take þat Rychesse,

Of þat wysdom can) I no skiɫɫ. 3187

And leue hem þer contre and no more warre, 3175

Yonge men a-dayes nowe iche weɫɫ

Take vppon) hem to yeve counseɫɫ,

Sethe we may not hem conquerre.”

And sey þat men) with whyte heres

Nowe is þis kynge holde right wyse.

Dothe and wot not what þey mene.

He hight Sursyn, kynge of Surre londe.

But in þe ende it wiɫɫ be sene, 3192

Many a vyage hathe take on honde,

And so to yonge þe olde are lothe.

Seynge : “Kynge Markenes hathe weɫɫ seyde, 3181

I wot neuer howe þis counseɫɫ gothe.

When þe kynge was In his contre,

3183. MS. perhaps wox.

105In peas and wele at ease was he.
Ye cowde not suffre hym) to a-byde there,
He must gone oute algate and conquere.
And now ye counsayle hym) to goone,
And say he shaɫɫ haue with hym) grete woone
Of horse, of golde, and of Rychesse,
Of lyons, fawkons, Goshawkes, and Mules.
The kyng of Fraunce mygħt none other do thenne,
For be-cavse he had no power of men).
Now his alleaunce and alle his kynne
With grete power to hym) come ben).
They be now strenger of knyg[t]hode then) we,
For alle his Ioye and comforte ys Partanope,
And now he wole not make sucħe profers.
I trowe he wole not one of his cofers
Opyn) to gyffe vs of his Rychesse or goode.
Me thinketh he were than) worse then) woode.

110I haue harme hadde thorow hys Cownseɫɫ.
Ther-affter to werke y haue be gladde.
Off a Ryȝthte pore man) y hym made
My Ieffe Justyce an eke an Erle,
There he was born) a chorle.
Butte sethen) [of] a chorle I turned the name
In-to an Erle, no wonder thow * schame
In the ȝende be my rewarde,
Sethen) he ys false and eke a cowarde
Preuyd alle-so, and a traytor felle.
Fro thys day forthe off conseɫɫ
Schalle he be neuer, [ne] of thatt ys-state.
No wondere ys thow my men) me hate. [leaf 41]
For watte so euer he wolde haue do*,
Thow ytte were ronge, ytte schulde be so.
I sufferyd hym) [my] men) to prisone,
And off a trew man) to make a felone.
[And that he dyd me thougħt was lawe.]
There-fore me seytħe an olde * sawe :
He to home a man) dothe tryste,

3302–3. MS. chorle or charle.

3304. MS. throw.

3311. MS. done.

3316. seytħe an olde] MS. semythe and holde.

“I shall dismiss the false traitor, whom I suffered to do wrong.”

3300

3304

3308

3312

3316

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

I haue had harme thorow his Counseɫɫ.

I haue hade harme þorwe his counseɫɫ.

Therafter to wirke I haue be gladde.

There-after to worke I haue ben glade.

Of a rygħt poore man) I hym) made 3300

Of a Ryght poure man I hym made

My chif lustyce and eke an) erle,

My chefe Iustyce and eke an erle. 3301

And he of birth but a cherle.

But sigħt of a Cherle I turned the name

But sethe of a chirle I turnede þe name,

In-to an) Erle, no wonder thogħ shame

In-to an erle, no wonder þougħ shame

In the ende be my rewarde, [leaf 20] 3305

In þe ende be my rewarde, 3305

Sytħ he ys suche a flas Cowarde

1 Sethe he is soyche a false cowarde

Provid, and also a Traytour feɫɫ.

Provyde, and also a trayture feɫɫ.

Fro this day forth of counseɫɫ 3308

Fro þis day furthe of my counseɫɫ 3308

Shaɫɫ he neuer be, ne of that estate.

Shaɫɫ he neuer be, ne of þat esstate.

No wonder ys thogħ my men) me hate.

No man haue wonder þougħ my men me hate. [1 leaf 12]

For what that euer he wolde haue do,

For what þat heuer he wolde me haue do, 3311

Thougħ hit were wronge, hit shulde be so. 3312

Thougħ it were do, it shulde be so.

I suffred hym) my men) to pryson),

I sufferde hem myne men to presone,

And of a trew man) to make a felon).

And of a trewe man) to make a felonde.

And that he dyd me thougħt was lawe.

That he dyde me þought it lawe. 3315

Ther-fore men saitħ an) olde sawe : 3316

There-for men) seyth an olde sawe :

He to whom) a man) do trest,

He to whom a man) dothe truste,

111Euer may dyseue hym) beste.
Hys bonde kyndrede y made fre,
And sette hem alle in hye degre,
And yff hym casteɫɫ[es] and eetye[s],
And toke hem nexte me of alle my priueȝ.
Off no gentylle toke he * no hede
To, butte alle to make ys owne kynrede
And hem) in-hawnse to grette estate.
Thys hathe made my gentyl so mate,
And so wery offe here lyffe,
Thatt they be euer yn care and stryffe.
And fryste they loued me as ther kynge;
Nowe they hate me aboue alle thyncke.
Y may se ytte wele by here chere,
Alle-thow they kepe ytte ynne preuey manere.
For be thay pay yd welle off ther wage,
For to fyȝthte haue they * no corage.
Thay loue more ese and for to haue pes
Thanne myne honour; and thatt hathe Marres
Made wythe hys hyenys of pryde.
Gode ȝeue me grace O day to abyde

The clerk delivers the letter, and going to the window, the King reads it.

3504

3508

3512

3516

3520

3524

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

1 Now ys the kyngis Counsayle y-come

Nowe is þe kynges counseɫɫ come,

In-to the chambre where they were wone [1 leaf 22, back] 3504

1 In-to þe chambir þey were nome 3504 [1 leaf 14, back]

Alle to-gydyr goodely to mete.

Aɫɫ to-geder goodly to mete.

The kyng a-none therof had weete

The kynge anone þer-of hade wete,

That hys counseɫɫ alle redy were.

The kyng sent for his Messangere, 3508

The kynge sent for þe mesengere, 3508

And to his counseɫɫ he gan) hym hye,

Then to chambir he gan hye,

Sayng : “Syres, I shaɫɫ teɫɫ yow why

Seynge : “Siris, I shaɫɫ teɫɫ you why

I haue sent for yow now here :

I haue sent for you nowe here :

To me ys come a messangere 3518

To me is come a mesengere 3518

From the hethen) kyng Sornogoure.

Fro þe hethyn kynge Sornogoure.

What he menytħ, why ne wherfore,

What he menyth, why ne where-fore

I wote neuer; but therfore now I

I wot neuer; but þer-fore I

Haue sent for yow thus hastely 3522

Haue sent for you hastely 3522

That ye shulde here his entent

That ye shaɫɫ here his entente

As wele as I”; and therwitħ he sent

As weɫɫ as I”; and þer-with assente

For this Messanger, which that reueren[t]ly

For þis mesenger, whych þat reuerently

121And salyed the kynge and seyde : “Syr, I
Am) come fro Sornegour a messyngere,
And brynge yow letterys. Loo, syr, here
They bene redy. Wolle ye hem) see ?”
The kyngge hym) answeryd : “Take hem mee.”
The letterys the kynge toke of the Clerke,
And by-cawse the howse was alle derke,
Vppe he rose, and streyȝthte he wente
To the wendowe, and thenne he sente [leaf 44]
For serten) lordys that were moste preve,
Off wyche onne was Partonope.
When) they were come, the letter he toke,
And brake the seale, and there-onne gan) loke,
And redde hytte ouer, and sawe the entente
Off kynge Sornegour, and watt he mente.
They yeve hym) pryse of hys knyȝthode.
In) hym, they seyde, ther lacked no manhode.
A-none ther-wytħ Partonope
Knelyd adowne apon) hys knee,
And to the kynge seyde : “Yeff me * myne honowre
Love, lette me wythe Sornegowrʾ
For yow to do now thys batayle.”

3547. me] MS. ye.

3528

3532

3536

3540

3544

3548

Partonope kneels down, and asks the King’s permission to do battle with Sornegour.

132Kynge Loemers* and Erle Marres
Owte fro amonge the hethen) presse
To the kynge of Fraunce streyȝthte
To wete yff thus ylke affyȝthte
Schulde be holden) and alle the Cownandes.
To hem) answeryd the kynge of Fraunse :
“Say* kynge Sornegour* thatt y haue y-sayde
Schalle so be holde thatt wele apayed
He and alle hys schulde bee.
Where-ffore y wolle anone thatt hee
Take wytħ hym an .c. knyȝthtes,
And come downe streyȝte to the lyystys,
Owte ffrome hys oste; and thenne schalle I [leaf 47, back]
Do the same, and there by and bye
Schalle the Cownauntes rehersyd be
Be-twyn) hym) and Partonope.
There we schalle [holde] owre parlement
And schewe playnely owrʾe eythyr entente.”
To thus ther was no more to do;
They were alle greyd ther-too.
And ynne thus wyse anon) they mette,
And Curtesly* eche oder grette.

3781. MS. leomers; kynge seems marked for erasure before Erle.

3787. say] MS. Syr.

3794. D in Do written like an S.

3802. MS. Curstely.

Loemer and Mares repair to the French camp to hear the covenant.

The King proposes to bring a hundred armed knights to the lists, and to rehearse the covenant there.

The Kings meet courteously, and Fursin rehearses the covenant.

3784

3788

3792

3796

3800

Univ. Coll. MS.

Rawl. MS.

Erle Marres and Loemer the kyng

Erle Marras and Loemers þe kynge

To hem of Fraunce then fuɫɫ streygħt

To hem of France þen fuɫɫ streigħt

To wytte yf that this noble fyght 3784

To wyte yef þis nobiɫɫ fight 3784

Shulde be holde and

Shulde be holde and aɫɫ covenauntes.

To hym answeryd the kyng of Fraunce :

To hem answerde þe kynge of France :

“Say kyng Sornogour that I haue sayde [1 leaf 24, back]

“Sey kynge Sornogoure þat I haue seyde [1 leaf 17, back]

1In no wyse for me shaɫɫ be renayed. 3788

In no wyse shaɫɫ be renayede. 3788

Therfore he wytħ an) hundred knyghtes

There-fore he with an honderde knyghtes.

Lat hym come downe to the lystes 3792

Let hem come downe to þe lystes 3792

Oute from) hys Ooste; and than shaɫɫ I

Out fro his oste, and þen shaɫɫ I

Do the same, and there by and by

Do þe same, and þat by and by

Shaɫɫ alle the Covenauntes rehersyd be

Shaɫɫ aɫɫ þe cov[en]auntes rehersede be

Be-twix hym and Partanope. 3796

Be-twyx hym and Partonope. 3796

There we shaɫɫ holde oure parlament

There we shaɫɫ holde oure parlement

And shew playnly alle oure entent.”

And shewe playnly oure entente.”

To this there was nomore to do;

To þis þer was no more to do;

They were alle a-greed therto. 3800

They were aɫɫ gaderde þerto. 3800

And in this wyse anone they mete,

1And In þis wyse a-none þey mete,

And curtesly other goodely grete.

And courtesly eyþer oþer grete.

3788. MS. remayed.

133Schortely off thus to make a ffyne,
The hethen) putte up Fursyne*
To reherse the Covenauntes
Thatt holde schulde be be-twyn) hem and * Fraunce.
Kynge Fursyne,* thus worthy knyȝthte,
Rehersyd the Covenauntes off thus fyȝthte,
And tolde the trowthe off the recorde,
In sucche wysse that euery worde
Acordyd to here bothe wrytynge.
Where-ffore the lordes made grete praysynge
Off hys dyscrescon) and off hys wytte,
And seyde to fulle-fylle ytte
As he had sayde, alle redy were.
The hethen) knyȝthtes anone dyd swere
Vppon) sucche relakys as they hadde
These Covenauntes to holde suerly and sadde.
The kynge of Fraunce yn) the other syde
Alle[-so] swore, watte so euer be-tyde,
The Covenauntes thatt he wolde trewly
Holde, as they* ther-to by and bye